The significant volume of new projects currently in the planning system points to another phase of expansion for the British market, making data on locations, competition and future demand increasingly relevant for operators, investors and suppliers.
The UK padel market continues to evolve at a rapid pace, but the biggest changes may still be ahead. Beyond the facilities that are already operational, a significant number of new projects are currently at different stages of the planning process, pointing towards another wave of courts and clubs across the country.
According to data compiled by Padel Genie, at the end of August 2026 the UK had 2,683 courts across 819 venues. In addition to this existing supply, more than 2,000 courts are currently identified within the planning system, including projects awaiting decisions and others that have already received planning permission but have yet to be built.
The figures were reported by Mike Dale in The Padel Paper in an article published on September 1, 2026, examining Padel Genie and the development of padel infrastructure across the UK.
An expansion already taking shape
One of the most significant aspects of this market snapshot is that future supply is not limited to a handful of major developments. According to Padel Genie, around 80 to 100 new applications involving padel courts are submitted every month across the UK.
Planning activity has therefore become an increasingly important variable when assessing where the market is heading.
For operators, knowing how many clubs currently exist in a particular area is no longer enough. Projects that have yet to open could become future competitors and significantly alter the balance of individual local markets.
The data that could change the way investors assess the market
Information on future developments is particularly relevant as more operators and investors assess potential locations for new padel facilities.
The platform allows users to combine information on existing clubs, planning applications, site characteristics, surrounding populations and other indicators, providing a broader assessment of a potential location.
Padel Genie founder James Morgenstern told The Padel Paper that access to this information can reduce thousands of potential sites to a much smaller number of opportunities.
The development also highlights a broader trend within the industry: the UK market is increasingly requiring sophisticated market-intelligence tools as the number of facilities and projects continues to grow.
Not just operators: opportunities for suppliers too
The expansion of padel infrastructure is also creating new opportunities for companies supplying products and services to the sector.
Manufacturers and providers of courts, lighting, turf, equipment, furniture, technology, marketing and other club services can use information on upcoming projects to identify new commercial opportunities and anticipate the needs of facilities before they open.
Planning activity can therefore also act as an indicator of future demand across the wider padel supply chain.
More than 2,000 courts? A figure that may still be conservative
The scale of the projects identified by Padel Genie should also be interpreted with some caution. The platform itself notes that the figure of more than 2,000 courts is likely to be a conservative estimate.
Approximately 29% of current planning applications do not specify the intended number of courts. When such applications refer to courts in the plural, Padel Genie conservatively records two courts.
The actual number of courts included in projects currently moving through the planning system could therefore be higher.
An increasingly data-driven market
The situation illustrates how the development of UK padel is increasing the need for accurate, up-to-date information to support business decisions.
Understanding where existing courts are located, which projects are coming through the pipeline, how clubs are performing and what characteristics a particular area presents can all play an important role when deciding where to invest, open a facility or market products and services.
The growth of these analytical tools is itself an indication of a maturing market: as padel expands, understanding the present is no longer enough; businesses also need to anticipate what the future court landscape will look like.
A new phase for British padel
With thousands of courts already operational and a substantial pipeline of projects in planning, the UK is preparing for another phase of padel expansion.
The challenge for operators and investors will be identifying the right opportunities in a market that could also see increased competition. For suppliers, meanwhile, the continued development of new facilities represents a growing field of opportunity.
The data analysed by The Padel Paper therefore suggests that the next transformation of UK padel will depend not only on how many courts are built, but also on where they are built and how competition develops around them.
Source: The Padel Paper — article by Mike Dale, published September 1, 2026. Market data provided by Padel Genie.
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